1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in a camera, that is a camera utilizing a disc film cartridge of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,194,822.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is desirable to reduce a camera in size as much as possible to facilitate the handling and operation thereof. However, since the size of the film cartridge employed is predetermined, the camera must be at least of a size capable of accommodating the film cartridge. Accordingly, any reduction in the size of the camera body has been limited.
FIG. 1 of the drawings shows a disc camera 1 accommodating a disc type film cartridge which has been widely used. Since this film cartridge is thin and flat, the camera 1 can be thin in the transverse direction, namely in the direction of the optical axis of objective or taking lens. However, it is difficult to reduce the size of the camera in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis. For example, since it is necessary for the camera to house the film cartridge in a light-tight manner so that the film is not exposed to unwanted light, it is difficult to set the height H.sub.o of the camera 1 to less than the height L.sub.1 of the film cartridge FC loaded in the camera 1 and, accordingly, it is impossible to make the size of the camera less than that of the film cartridge as will be described hereinafter in more detail.
A film cartridge FC is perfectly accommodated within a cartridge chamber 2a formed in a camera body 2. A rear cover which covers the cartridge chamber 2a is provided at the rear of the camera body 2. A projection pawl (not shown) is provided at the rear cover. The rear cover is locked in the closed position with this pawl engaged with the aperture 2c formed between the upper edge FC.sub.1 of the film cartridge and the upper wall 2b of the camera body. The engagement of the pawl is achieved or released when the lever 3, which is provided almost parallel to the upper surface of the camera upper wall 2b of the camera body 2 is operated with the rear cover held in the closed position. The height of the film cartridge FC is represented by L.sub.1, the thickness of the upper and lower walls of the camera body 2 by L.sub.3 and L.sub.4 respectively, the height of the aperture 2c by L.sub.2, and the height of the lever 3 measured from the upper surface of the upper wall of the camera body 1 by L.sub.5 in the case the camera 1 is constructed as described above. In this case, the distance between the upper edge FC.sub.1 of the film cartridge FC and the internal surface of the upper wall 2b of the camera body must be larger than L.sub.2 in order to provide for the aperture 2c having the height L.sub.2 between the upper edge FC.sub.1 of the film cartridge FC and the internal surface of the upper wall 2b of the camera body. Accordingly, it has been impossible to make the total height of the camera smaller than the size H.sub.0 which is a little larger than the total sum of heights L.sub.1 to L.sub.5.